Wagon



March 10, 1931'. E. c. FLATMAN 1,795,550

wAGoN' Filed Nov. 29, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l WAGON Mmh 1o, 1931.

'Filed Nov. 29. 1929 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Mar. 10, 1931 UNITED STATESi ERNEST C. FLATMAN, 0F BIRMlNGl-IAM, MICHIGAN WAGON Application filed Navember 29, 1929. Serial No. 410,556.

The present invention relates broadly to carts, wagons, cars or the likeV having a novel construction, which in toy form is of educational value for children by enabling them to assemble and disassemble the parts in a. manner which will arouse latent creative ,or mechanical tendencies.

The invention has for its main object the provision of a cart or wagon of very simple and durable construction having few parts which may be detachably fitted together without the aid of bolts, nuts or screwsv and which, when so: assembled, will co-operate with. each other for maintaining the structure- .l in assembled` relation.

Fig. 1: isa perspective View of a cart or wagon constructed in accordance with the invention; and

Fig. 2 is a perspective view ot the invention With all of the parts disassembled but positi'oned relative to each other indicating the method` of assembly.

Referring in details to the drawings in which like characters denote simil-ar and like part-s throughout the several views', 10 denotes the wagon bottom consisting of a substantially Hatpiece of suitable material having its side edges recessed or cut away at 11 soas to provi'de outwardly extending projections 12 on opposite sides of' said recess. The sides ofthe wagon are provided by members 13 and 14 also formed from substantially fiat pieces of board or sheet material. The

L side members 13 and 14 are identical in construction and therefore for convenience only ,one will be described in detail.

The side member 13 may be of any suitable length according to the style and type ofthe wagon or cart being designed, and is of, a width which will permit the` side member to extend for a distance above and below the bottom 10 ofthe wagon body. The ends of the sidey members are formed with slots 15 extendingl inward-lyfrom the end edges and are of a width and length to receive and ittingly accommodate the projections 12 on the bottom 10. The slots 15 extend longitudinally of the side members. and are positioned, preferably, atan intermediate pointbetween their longitudinaledges. Thus, it will be seen, particularly from Fig. 2 of the draw* ings, that when the projections 12 are extended into the slots 15, the wagon body is substantially formed.

End members 16 are provided to hold the side members in assembled position with respect to the bottom of the wagon body. TheseV end members are of a length to extend transversely across the wagon body and are slotted at their end portions, as at 17, the slots extending inwardly and transversely of the end members from their lower longitudinal edge. The side members of the wagon body are also 'prmfidedat their end portions with slots 18 extending from the upper longitudinal edges of the side members in a transverse direction, but on a. slight angle so that said slots 1S in each side member will converge` downwardly toward each other. The slotted portion of the end members 16 engage the slotted portions of the side members 13 and 14 to form interlocking `ioints a", as clearly shown in Fig. 1, which prevent the side members 13 andV 14j from becoming dis assembled or disengaged from the bottom 10.

Manifestly, the bottom, side walls and endy members of the body structure are firmly and tightly secured together as the side members 13 and 14 are held against longitudinal shifting movementA with respect to the bottom 10 by the projections 12 and the shoulders provided by the cut. away portion 11, and the end members prevent lateral movement of the side members; and, further, the. projections fil) 12 together with the end members prevent tilting movement ot the side member with respect to the bottom member. However, upon merely disenga ging the end members 1G, the entire structure can be readily knocked down or disassembled.

The wagon body thus constructed may be supported by wheels in any suitable manner. F or toy purposes, one means is shown tor mounting the wheels. As a cart, the body may have but two wheels, one on opposite sides ot the body, but as a car or wagon, the body may have tour wheels. These wheels 2O are shown as mounted directly to the` side members 13 and lst, each by means ot a shortheaded axle pin 2l which has its unheaded end extending through an opening 22 in the side members 13 and li at points below the slots l5 therein and, consequently, below the wagon bottom l0.

i he device may be drawn in any suitable fashion but is here shown as being drawn by a tongue 23 connected to a biturcated portion 2i formed, or otherwise provided, at one end ot the wagon bottom 10, through means ot a cotter pin or other fastener 25. Cotter pins 26 may be provided for the inner ends ot the axle pins 21.

It will thus be seen that the Wagon body thus constr cted is of very substantial and durable character and is lirmly and securely held together by the inter-engaging and the interlocking of grooved and tongued portions ot the complemental parts thereot, re-

quiring no nails or other fastener members.

and which permits the wagon or cart to be readily dis-assembled and packed awa;7 in a small space.

It will also be readily understood that the cart or wagon thus described may have other utilitarian purposes than that ot a toy. lt is readily adapted and useful as an automobile trailer, or for other like uses, and in which event, it may be desirable to substitute a transverse shatt tor the axle pins '21.

it. cover QT tor the cart or wagon may be provided, and in this connection the end members ot the wagon body are provided with top bows Q8, the ends ot the bows being removably inserted in openings or sockets in or on the end members. rthe top or canopy is stretched between the bows or is formed with suitable hems or pockets 29 in which the bows etend. Vhen the end members are in assembled position the canopy will be stretched tant and the tension thus provided will tend to further bind the end members in the slots 17 of the side members 13 and 14, which, in the case of a. toy, will prevent the hood or top Q1 and the end members from falling out et assembled position, it the device is turned up-side-down.

i it will of course be understood that the material from which the bottom, side members and rnd members are made has the necessary thickness so as to provide the proper bearing surl'ace between the inter-engaged parts in order to maintain the parts in the desired relationship. lVhen thin sheet metal is used, the parts may bc iianged, bent or rolled for this purpose.

In this specification and the annexed drawings, the invention is disclosed in the iorm in which it is considered to be the best, but the invention is not limited to such form because it is capable o'l beingl embodied in other forms; and it is to be understood that in and by the claims following the description herein it is intended tocover the invention in whatever torni it may embody within the scope hereof.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of' the United States is:

l. A device ot the character described comprising a bottom member having outwardly er-:ten ding side projections, side members havingl openings therein to receive said projections, end members having slotted end portions straddlingl and connecting said side members, and detachable wheels on said side members below said bottom member.

Z. A device ot' the character described comprisingil a. bottom member having outwardly extending side projections, side members having openings therein to receive said projections, end members having slotted end portions straddling and connecting said side members, detachable wheels on said side members below said bottom member, a hood for said body con'iprising a cover, bow members tor holding said cover extended, and means on the end members for detachably receiving the ends of said bow members, whereby said cover is stretched over the body member.

3. A device ot the character described comprising a bottom member having` outwardly extending side projections, side members having openings therein to receive said projections, end members having slotted end portions straddling and connecting said side members, detachable wheels on said side members below said bottom member, and dralt means connected with said bottom member.

Ll. A device of the character described comprising a substantially flat bottom member having outwardly extending side projections, side members having slots therein to detachably receive said projections, transverse end members having slots in the end portions thereof straddling and detachably connecting said side members, and traction wheels mounted on said device.

A device of the character described comprising a substantially iiat bottom member having outwardly extending projections on its side edges, side members having openings therein to detachably receive said projections, end members having slots in the end portions thereof straddling and detachably connecting said side members, the side members having corresponding slots to receive corresponding portions of the end members, whereby an interlocking joint is provided, and traction wheels for the device.

6. A device of the character described comprising a substantially Hat bottom member having projections on its side edges, vertical side members to abut against the side edges of said bottom member and having openings therein to detachably receive said projections, vertical end members extending transversely of said bottom member and having slotted end portions straddling and detachably engaging said side members for holding the latter against lateral movement with respect to said bottom member, and wheels on said side members, and draft means for the device.

7. A device of the character described comprising a body member including a substantially flat horizontal bottom member having its side edges recessed at intermediate points to provide outwardly extending projections, vertical side members having longitudinal slots intermediate therewith to detachably receive said projections, transverse end members having slotted and portions adapted to detachably receive and fit over said side members, the side members having correspondingly slotted portions t-o receive the correspon ing portions of the end members, whereby an interlocking joint is provided; and detachable wheels on said side members below said bottom member.

8. A device of the character described comprising a body member including a substantially flat horizontal bottom member having its side edges recessed at intermediate points to provide outwardly extending projections, vertical side members having longitudinal slots therein intermediate therewith to detachably receive said projections, transverse end members having slotted end portions adapted to detachably receive and lit over said side members, the side members having correspondingly slotted portionsv to receive the corresponding portions of the end members, whereby an interlocking joint is provided; said side members having openings therein below said bottom member, axle pins detachably mounted in each of said openings in said side member, and a traction wheel rotatable on each of said pins.

9. A device of the character described in claim 7, further characterized by a hood for said body comprising a cover, bow members for holding said cover extended, and means on the end members for detachably receiving the ends of said bow members, whereby, when said cover is stretched taut-'over the body, an added binding engagement is caused between said end and side members.

l0. A vehicle body of the character described comprising parallel side members,

traction wheels on and supporting said side members, a horizontal bottom member disposed between the side members and detachably secured thereto for maintaining the side members in spaced relation, and end members detachably engaging the side members and transversely connecting the same to maintain the side members in position.

1l. A vehicle body of the kind described comprising a bottom member, substantial parallel side members, complemental portions on said bottom and side members having means interengaging to detachably connect and support the parts relative to each other, and body end members extending transversely of the body and detachably interlocked with the side members and connecting the same, and traction wheels for the body.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

ERNEST C. FLATMAN. 

